


Lessons from my Father

by Talonwillow (TalonWillow)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Father-Son Relationship, Fatherhood, Gen, Parenthood, Pictures, Relationship Advice, Things I wish my father had taught me, advice from the dead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:41:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24965398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TalonWillow/pseuds/Talonwillow
Summary: The day that Harry got to learn some life lessons from his father.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2
Collections: The Last Marauder Standing





	Lessons from my Father

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a light, fun little drabble based off a Manip I did of Lily and James. It is also in an attempt to help aid prongs in #FinalStandProngs.
> 
> Thanks for reading.

"Hey Harry, did you need help in Sirius' old room? I think we should go with the light grey color, by the way.", Ginny Potter called towards the soon-to-be nursery at #12 Grimmauld Place. 

"How bold of you to consider not painting it maroon or gold, Love.", Harry snickered while levitating one of the last two cases into the pile. "No, I should be able to get it by myself, I'm just clearing these boxes out...", Harry responded to his wife, hoping she would hear his silent plea for her just to unwind.

Just as he had been about to shut the last box on the floor, he looked down and saw what looked like an old polaroid sticking to the back of one of Sirius' old bike mags. Knowing it would be quite old seeing as those mags were from the late '80s and how long it had been since anyone had been in this room, he cast a quick cleaning charm towards the photo. 

Gingerly pulling at the edge, trying to keep the image on the other side from getting damaged, Harry released the photo from its sticky confines. If it was in Sirius' room, it could be a picture of anything. He mentally prepped himself for a compromising photo of Sirius with some unsuspecting lass or an image of Remus with the word "Penis" written across his forehead in permanent marker. 

Harry was not prepared, though, for what he did see. 

It was a redheaded pregnant woman and a messy dark-haired man. Anyone else could have looked at the old photograph and mistaken it for him and Ginny. But he knew her eyes; he looked at those eyes every day in the mirror. Those were his green eyes on the beautifully pregnant redhead’s face. That man, that was James Potter, his father. He had the same goofy grin across his face that Harry had had across his four months ago when Ginny had told him he was going to be a dad. 

Harry chuckled to himself as a tear advanced down his cheek against his permission. James spoke to Harry then, not with words, - that would have been mad. His eyes spoke truths, though. Things that he needed to hear from his father. 

"Mischief is okay in small doses, but only as long as no professors are looking." 

"This is the Deodorizing charm, and now that you are 11, this will be your best friend." 

"If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any pudding. How can you have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat?"

"Never eat anything uncle Padfoot gives you. Even if he says to trust him, especially if he says to trust him." 

"Someday, this will make sense; never make a redhead angry."

"When you have children of your own, you will understand why we have done the things we have, Harry."

Right then and there, Harry learned more from his father than any history book or recount from a friend could ever afford him. He could look in his father's eyes and see the love, fear, reverence, and yeah maybe a little anxiety for the woman next to him and the child inside her. 

That was the day James taught Harry how to be a father.

"Harry, you need help here?" Ginny asked as she came up behind him. The Molly gene in her would not be content unless she was helping in some way, shape, or form. "Are you okay? Have you been crying?" 

Harry turned around and kissed her swollen abdomen. He was immediately rewarded with a not so gentle kick from under her taut skin. 

"All good, Love, just getting some lessons from my father." 


End file.
